Mattress construction



March 12, 1963 J. 1.. NOVASCONE 3,

MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION Filed March 28, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 j 37 /7 .5.9 3 if March 12, 1963 J. L. NOVASCONE MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 28, 1960 fizvazzzflr JOHN L A/OVflSGO/VE W L Ma 5' 9A4 g JM 3,030,578 MATTRES CONSTRUCTEON John L. Novascone, East Orange, N..l., assignor to Simmons Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Deiaware Filed Mar. 28, 196i Ser. No. 18,046 Claims. (Cl. 5-353) This invention relates generally to inner spring mattresses and more particularly to a mattress construction which is particularly luxuriant both to the touch and in appearance, and which will reliably retain its initial comfort characteristics, as well as its eye appeal, over a long period of time.

After a period of use many mattresses develop body depressions, ie, a localized thinning and/or displacement of the padding in the areas of usual repose. In gen- 'eral, a mattress which has developed body depressions may no longer provide maximum desired support or comfort characteristics. Such body depressions or 1101- lows are also generally considered uncomfortable due, at least in part, to lumpiness resulting from unevencompacting of the padding and to the lesser thickness of padding in the depressed areas. Uneven compacting and thinning of thelpadding in' the body depression areas at least partially results from workingand possible migrationof the padding under the influence of continued localized activity of the'r'eposed load. I

The construction disclosed herein divides the usual padding into'two layers, the'outer one of which is 'untufted but secured to the tickingso as to reduce localized working or shifting of thepadding incident to repeated body movement. At the same time, the use of an untufted ticking results in a luxuriant appearance and provides substantially flat mattress faces which are free of tufting and the accompanying'rather pronounced dimples. v The principal object of the invention is the provision of an inner spring mattress capable of retaining its initial characteristics of comfort and eye-appear over anextended period of time. A further object of the invention is the provision'of a mattress having a ticking which has a flat surface free of tufts. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings of one embodiment of the invention in which:

EIGURE 1 is. a perspective view of a portion of a mat tress constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the mattress shown in FIGURE 1, illustrating one-stage in its construction; Y

3,8d578 Patented Mar. 12, 1953 illustrated construction, by a border or boxing strip 21. This strip 21 preferably constitutes an outer layer 23 of sturdy ticking material, a center layer 25 of padding or cushioning material, such as cotton felt or the like, and an inner layer 27 of suitable textile sheeting. These layers may be secured together by a spaced series of adjacent twin vertical lines 29 of stitching if a fluted border appearance is desired.

The boxing strip 21 also preferably includes upper and lower continuous edge rolls or pads 31 of cotton felt or the like, secured at suitably spaced intervals to the inside sheet 27 of the boxing strip 21 inwardly of its peripheral edges. As will be explained hereinafter in greater detail the rolls 31 assist in providing the finished mattress with a square or box-like appearance.

After the spring assembly 13'islocated within the boxing strip 21, an insulating or fly sheet 33 of suitable textile fabric is placed in overlying relation to each face of the spring assembly 13 and suitably secured, as by stitching, to the boxing strip 21 inwardly of'the adjacent edge roll 31-and to each end convolution of the peripheral coils in the spring assembly 13. Preferably, the outer- FIGURE Sis a view similar to FEGURE 2 showing the construction of the finished mattress; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan view, with parts broken away and sectioned, so as to illustrate the multilayer construction. The mattress 11 illustrated in the drawings incorporates an inner spring assembly 13 which is padded and enclos'ed'to obtain the various advantages of the invention The illustrated spring assembly 13 may be of any 'conventi'onal type, butin the present instance, is of the type shown in the United States patent to Marshall, No. 685,160, i.e;, it incorporates a plurality of helical coil springs 15 individually incased in an interconnected series 17'of pockets of suitable textile fabric. The series of incased coil springs is preferably arranged in serpentine fashion to closely nest the coil springs 15, and is then tied together to complete the spring assembly 13- by suitable ties 19 passed through the mattress 11, and preferably through the middle plane of the mattress, as described in the United States patent to Weller, .No. 2,805,429, assigned to the assignee of this invention.

The spring assembly 13 closely surrounded, in ;the

most margin of the fly sheet 33 extends over the corner of the spring assembly and between the boxing strip 21 and the adjacent side ofthe spring assembly 13. Thus, when stitching the fly sheet 33 to the peripheral coils and to the boxingstrip 21,v the thread or twine can be passed through the fly sheet 33tat two points, one on the face of'the spring assembly and one at the side of the spring assembly.

Firm connection of the fly sheet to both the boxing strip and the spring assembly is particularly desirable in connection with a Marshall type construction as this sheet assists other components, as will be pointed out, in cross stabilizing the mattress 11 to prevent distortion from its intended box-like rectangular shape. In addition, each of the fly sheets 33 serves to insulate the interstices. between the pockets from an overlying inner layer or batt 35 of cushioning or padding material, such as cotton felt or the like. This batt 35 is generally coextensive with the faces of the spring assembly 13 and'is preferably installed in edge abutting relation to the boxing strip 21. Overlying each of the padding batts 35 is a second or intermediate sheet 37 of suitable textile fabric which is also suitably secured by stitching to the boxing strip 21 and to various of the peripheral coils in the spring assembly 13. The sheet 37 also serves to dimensionally cross stabilize the mattress and to enclose the padding layer or batt 35. d

The construction thus far disclosed is then suitably tufted, as indicated at 39, to pretension the assembly to some degree and to further interconnect the sheets 33 and 37 to the'spring assembly 13, thereby further integrating the construction of the mattress. In addition, the tufting 39 also functions to stabilize the padding layer '35, thereby assisting in preventing its migration incident to usage of the'completed mattress.

Subsequent to the tufting, the mattress is closed on each face by an outer covering 41 which rests on the underlying construction. Each of the outer coverings 41 is pre-fabricated and includes an outer ticking 43 to the inner face of which is united, as by quilting, an'underlying batt or layer 45 "of cushioning or padding material, such as cotton felt or the like. Preferably, the prefabricated outer covering 41 also includes an inner scrim sheet 47 which, together with the ticking 43, encloses the intermediate padding layer 45. Along its periphery, the ticking and scrim sheet are preferably overcast to prevent ,loss of the padding.

.troned m overlying relation to the marginal side regions .of the inner padding layer 35 and then the outer face cov- In closing of the mattress, the edge rolls 31 are posierings '41 are stitched, as indicated at 49, along their peripheries to the adjacent infolded peripheral edge of the outer ticking layer 23 of the boxing strip 21, leaving the outer coverings unattached to the intermediate sheets 37 .to permit lateral shifting therebetween. Preferably, this stitching 49 secures a tape 51 in overlying relation to the interconnection of the boxing strip 21 and the face covering 41 to provide a neat and attractive appearance.

The stitching of the face coverings 41 and the boxing strip 21 is accomplished in a manner which draws the boxing strip vertically taut and the face coverings 41 horizontally taut. The resultant vertically compressive forces exerted around the periphery of the mattress due to the squeezing therein of the edge rolls 31 provide an exceptionally square mattress edge and also effectively cause locking of the padding layer 35 between the peripheral coils 15 and the edge rolls 31 to .complete the stabilization of the padding layer 35. In addition, the peripheral Coils 15 are partially pre-compressed to impart a desirable edge firmness to the mattress. The cross dimensional stability of the mattress 11 is particularly increased by the interconnection of .the boxing strip 21 and outerface coverings 41 when in their taut condition.

In this connection, :the quilted condition of the outer coverings 41 contributes to the increased cross dimensional stabilityof the mattress and additionally provides other of theadvantages of the invention including the luxuriant appearance and the resistance of the disclosed construcno: lath d pm nt o o y pressio s- Pr rably. the outer covering 41 is quilted with an overall pattern,

i.e., a pattern which extends over the ,full area of the mattress face. In addition, the outer coverings 41 are preferably quilted in'a manner which divides the face coverings 41 into a plurality of patches or squares 53 (not necessarily geometric squares), and which provides intersecting lines of stitching arranged to provide longitudinally and transversely reinforcing filaments in the coverings. Thus, the coverings provide increased re- ,sistance, beyond the effect of multiple layers, to cross dimensional variation, which resistance prevents distortion and assists in assuring the rectangular dimensional stability of the mattress. While this feature is important in all mattresses, itis particularly important in mattresses employing a Marshall type spring assembly, wherein the pocketed coils are nottoo rigidly secured together in the spring assembly. i v

The illustrated construction includes a quilted pattern in which the individual patches or squares 53 are generally of diamond-shape and are oriented with their corners or apices overlapped and disposed in longitudinal and transverse rows. This pattern is provided by a plurality of lines of stitching 55 which zig-zag longitudinally of the face coverings 41, and intersect at their laterally adjacent apices so as to provide transverse, as well as longitudinal, reinforcement.

The quilting of the face coverings 41 to provide a patchwork pattern also very effectively anchors orsta- ,bilizes, and at least partiallypre-compacts, the padding in the intermediate layer 45 to avoid subsequent development of body depressions. In this respect, the stitching surrounding each patch prevents migration of the padding from the patch and provides, at least around the edge of the patch, a controlled degree of pre-compacting in the padding. Of course, the degree of ultimate locational stability ofthe padding in the layer 45 and the degree to which it is pre-compacted by the quilting depends, at least in part, upon the spacing between the stitching. Closer spacing between the stitching provides greater overall pre-compaction' and localized stabilization.

Thus, when employing a predetermined weight of padding in a given construction, if the padding is divided into two layers, with the outer layer quilted, there is built into the mattressa certain amount of controlled pre-compaction. This condition tends to diminish the possible magnitude of {future compaction, thereby-minimizing the possibility of body depression development. In addition, the localized stabilization of the padding in the face coverings 41 prevents migration between individual patches, thereby further avoiding possible subsequent body depression development.

Moreover, when the padding on each face of the mattress is separated into unconnected layers, as in the disclosed construction, the outer layer is, at least to some degree, laterally shiftable relative to the inner layer, and tends to insulate the inner layer from working or shifting incident to localized body movement. This is of particular advantage when a large .batt of cotton felt, such as the layer of padding 35, is employed in a mattress. If the padding is subject to tension during its assembly in the mattress prior to its stabilization, as for instance by the disclosed tufting, there is produced an area in the pad.- ding which is particularly susceptible to the development of a body depression. However, when the batt 35 is insulated from the localized working at the surface, as by a quilted arrangement which is not, itself, subject to migration, working and consequent migration in the underlying batt 35' is diminished, with consequent decreased probability of body depression development.

The use of a padded face covering 41 in overlying relation to the tufted inner assembly of the mattress, also prevents localized discomfort which sometimes results from the tu fting 39. ,In this connection, jwhen tufting buttons are employed, the overlying padded outer cover.- ns 41 insulates the b tt ns fr m t ma t e s fa cs- Al o in this regard, the scrim sheet functions to prevent snagging or tearing of the padding layer 4'5 .in the 1s. fa e ove ng 41 due to-relati e m v ment betw en' tu ns wads o butt ns a d t e p r y padded fa e covering 41.

While the quilted outer covering 41 serves, as pointed out, to reinforce the cross dimensional stability of the disclosed Marshall typeconstruction, to reduce the possibility of body depression development by partiallyprecompacting and preventing migration of the padding material quilted therein, and by insulating the underlying .or inner padding layer 35 from localized working on the surface of the mattress, the quilted outer covering also provides the finished mattress with an especially luxuriant appearance. This results from'the quilted texture of the mattress faces and their generally flat con.- dition which is free of the pronounced dimples commonly associated with a tufted mattress. In' addition, the edge squareness of the mattress contributes to'its desirable overall box-like appearance.

Various of the features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mattress comprising an inner spring assembly including a plurality of axially vertical coil springs arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows, a continuous boxing strip surrounding said assembly, a fly sheet covering the 1 a d b t m faces of saidsp ass m y, sa d y sheets being stitched along their peripheries to said boxing strip inwardly of its peripherim and to the peripheral coils in said spring assembly, an inner layer of padding material overlying each of said fly sheets, an intermediate sheet overlying each of said inner padding layers, said intermediate sheets being stitched along their peripheries to said boxing strip inwardly ofits peripheries, a plurality of tufts connecting said intermediate sheets and extending through said fly sheets, said inner padding lave-rs and said spring assembly, and an outer covering overlying each of said intermediate sheets, each of said outer coverings being stitched along its periphery to the adjacent eriphery of said boxing strip to draw saidboxing strip vertically taut, and to draw said outer covering horizontally taut, and each including an outer ticking, and an under layer of padding material quilted to said ticking-in an overall pattern of stitching.

2. A mattress comprising an inner spring vassembly including a plurality of axially vertical coil springs arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows, a continuous boxing strip surrounding said assembly, continuous upper and lower peripheral rolls of padding material secured to said boxing strip inwardly of its peripheral edges, a fly sheet covering the top and bottom faces of said spring assembly, said fly sheets being stitched along their peripheries to said boxing strip inwardly of said rolls and to the peripheral coils in said spring assembly, an inner layer of padding material overlying each of said fly sheets, an intermediate sheet overlying each of said inner padding layers, said intermediate sheets being stitched along their peripheries to said boxing strip inwardly of said rolls and to the peripheral coils in said assembly, a plurality of tufts connecting said intermediate sheets and extending through said fly sheets, said inner padding layers and said spring assembly, an outer covering overlying each of said intermediate sheets, each of said outer coverings being stitched along its peripheral edge to the adjacent peripheral edge of said boxing strip to draw said boxing strip vertically tau-t, to cause said rolls to overlie the peripheral edges of said inner padding layers to thereby anchor the edges of said inner padding layers and partially compress the peripheral springs of said assembly, and to draw said outer covering horizontally taut, each of said outer coverings including an outer ticking and an under layer of padding material quilted to said ticking in an overall pattern of stitching.

3. A mattress comprising an inner spring assembly including a plurality of axially vertical coil springs arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows, a continuous boxing strip surrounding said assembly, a fly sheet covering the top and bottom faces of said spring assembly, said fly sheets being stitched along their peripheries to said boxing strip inwardly of its peripheries and to the peripheral coils in said spring assembly, an inner layer of padding material overlying each of said fly sheets, an intermediate sheet overlying each of said inner padding layers, said intermediate sheets being stitched along their peripheries to said boxing strip inwardly of its peripheries, a plurality of tufts connecting said intermeidate sheets and extending through said fly sheets, said inner padding layers and said spring assembly, and an outer covering overlying each of said intermediate sheets, each of said outer coverings being stitched along its periphery to the adjacent periphery of said boxing strip, each of said outer coverings including an outer ticking, an intermediate layer of padding material, and a scrim sheet quilted through said intermediate padding layer and to said ticking in an overall pattern of stitching to thereby stabilize and, at least partially, pro-compact said intermediate padding layer.

4. A mattress comprising an inner spring assembly including a plurality of axially vertical coil springs arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows, a continuous boxing strip surrounding said assembly, continuous upper and lower peripheral rolls of padding material secured to said boxing strip inwardly of its peripheral edges, a fly sheet covering the top and bottom faces of said spring assembly, said fly sheets being stitched along their peripheries to said boxing strip inwardly of said rolls and to the peripheral coils in said spring assembly, an inner layer of padding material overlying each of said fly sheets, an intermediate sheet overlying each of said inner padding layers, said intermediate sheets being stitched along their peripheries to said boxing strip inwardly of said rolls and to the peripheral coils in said assembly, a plurality of tufts connecting said intermediate sheets and extending through said fly sheets, said inner padding layers and said spring assembly, an outer covering overlying each of said intermediate sheets, each of said outer coverings being stitched along its peripheral edge to the adjacent peripheral edge of said boxing strip to draw said boxing strip vertically taut, to cause said rolls to overlie the peripheral edges of said inner padding layers to thereby anchor the edges of said inner padding layers and partially compress the peripheral springs of said assembly, and to draw said outer covering horizontally taut, each of said outer coverings including an outer ticking, an intermediate layer of padding material, and a scrim sheet quilted through said intermediate padding layer and to said ticking in an overall pattern of stitching to thereby anchor and, at least partially, pre-compact said intermediate padding layer.

5. A mattress comprising an inner spring assembly including a plurality of pocketed axially vertical coil springs nested in longitudinal and transverse rows, a continuous boxing strip surrounding said assembly, continuous upper and lower peripheral rolls of padding material secured to said boxing strip inwardly of its peripheral edges, a fly sheet covering the top and bottom faces of said spring assembly, said fly sheets being stitched along their peripheries to said boxing strip inwardly of said rolls and to the peripheral coils in said spring assembly, an inner layer of padding material overlying each of said fly sheets, an intermediate sheet overlying each of said inner padding layers, said intermediate sheets being stitched along their peripheries to said boxing strip inwardly of said rolls and to the peripheral coils in said assembly, a plurality of tufts connecting said intermediate sheets and extending through said fly sheets, said inner padding layers and said spring assembly, an outer covering overlying each of said intermediate sheets, each of said outer coverings being quilted in an overall pattern and being stitched along its peripheral edge to the adjacent peripheral edge of said boxing strip to draw said boxing strip vertically taut, to cause said rolls to overlie the peripheral edges of said inner padding layers to thereby anchor the edges of said inner padding layers and partially compress the peripheral springs of said assembly, and to draw said outer covering horizontally taut, each of said outer coverings including an outer ticking, an intermediate layer of padding material, an inner scrim sheet, and a plurality of intersecting lines of stitching which constitute cross-reinforcing filaments in said outer covering, thereby providing increased rectangular dimensional stability for said mattress, and which partially pre-compact and anchor said intermediate padding layer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,986,255 Durfey et al. Jan. 1, 1935 2,025,328 Bronstien Dec. 24, 1935 2,400,731 Armstrong May 21, 1946 2,446,775 Marsak Aug. 10, 1948 2,568,258 Spagnoli Sept. 18, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 586,765 Great Britain Mar. 31, 1941 

1. A MATTRESS COMPRISING AN INNER SPRING ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY VERTICAL COIL SPRINGS ARRANGED IN LONGITUDINAL AND TRANSVERSE ROWS, A CONTINUOUS BOXING STRIP SURROUNDING SAID ASSEMBLY, A FLY SHEET COVERING THE TOP AND BOTTOM FACES OF SAID SPRING ASSEMBLY, SAID FLY SHEETS BEING STITCHED ALONG THEIR PERIPHERIES TO SAID BOXING STRIP INWARDLY OF ITS PERIPHERIES AND TO THE PERIPHERAL COILS IN SAID SPRING ASSEMBLY, AN INNER LAYER OF PADDING MATERIAL OVERLYING EACH OF SAID FLY SHEETS, AN INTERMEDIATE SHEET OVERLYING EACH OF SAID INNER PADDING LAYERS, SAID INTERMEDIATE SHEETS BEING STITCHED ALONG THEIR PERIPHERIES TO SAID BOXING STRIP INWARDLY OF ITS PERIPHERIES, A PLURALITY OF TUFTS CONNECTING SAID INTERMEDIATE SHEETS AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FLY SHEETS, SAID INNER PADDING LAYERS AND SAID SPRING ASSEMBLY, AND AN OUTER COVERING OVERLYING EACH OF SAID INTERMEDIATE SHEETS, EACH OF SAID OUTER COVERINGS BEING STITCHED ALONG ITS PERIPHERY TO THE ADJACENT PERIPHERY OF SAID BOXING STRIP TO DRAW SAID BOXING STRIP VERTICALLY TAUT, AND TO DRAW SAID OUTER COVERING HORIZONTALLY TAUT, AND EACH INCLUDING AN OUTER TICKING, AND AN UNDER LAYER OF PADDING MATERIAL QUILTED TO SAID TICKING IN AN OVERALL PATTERN OF STITCHING. 